Recalling Lord Krishna’s teaching to Arjuna on meditation yoga in the battlefield, Indian guru and spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar brought the lessons of the ancient practice to the United Nation, which encapsulates a world wracked by conflict and war. 

Leading a practice session at the observance of the Second World Meditation Day today, he said, human are not in less of a warfield today, as various issues in the society is not short of any war. Giving an example of Lord Krishna’s lessons, he said that in Ukraine, 8,000 soldiers who had to be there as fighters were feeling darkness and despair, but they meditated and found peace.

Diplomats from around the world, UN officials, and yoga leaders joined him in a meditation practice aimed at bringing peace within and to the world at large. The observance was organised by India, Andorra, Mexico, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, who sponsored the General Assembly resolution last year designating the Winter Solstice December 21, as World Meditation Day. The other solar event, Summer Solstice, is the International Day of Yoga. The observance was held yesterday as the Winter Solstice falls on a Sunday this year.

India’s Permanent Representative P. Harish said the General Assembly resolution marks a significant milestone in acknowledging that meditation transcends cultural, religious and geographical boundaries, offering a universal template of transformation.

He said that for India, this recognition holds special significance because meditation traces its roots back over 5,000 years to ancient India, where Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra introduced a concept of Dhyana, a state of pure consciousness. He added that India has always shared its heritage and wisdom with the world in the spirit of Vasudeva Kutumbakam, the whole world is one family. 

Several yoga and meditation experts extolled the power of yoga in bringing peace to and reducing violence in the world.